Remote control rear view mirrors are commonly known and accepted for use on automotive vehicles.
Most such remote control mirrors include a rear view mirror assembly that is mounted externally on a vehicle door or fender panel and has a control means which is mounted within the vehicle, on the door or instrument panel, and has a flexible wire connection between the control means and the mirror assembly to obtain the desired adjustments of the rear view mirror itself.
Usually, the mirror assembly includes die cast parts with some form of ball and socket or other universal joint connection that provides pivotal support for the rearward viewing mirror. The flexible wire connection is of two or three strands of wire to obtain different relative movement by operation of different combinations thereof and the control means is a pivotal lever which is moved in one direction or another to obtain the mirror adjustments desired through the connecting wire strands.
A certain degree of tightness in the universal joint connection is necessary for stability, but at the same time, there must be sufficient looseness for fingertip adjustment through the cable means. And, while multiple wire controls have been considered to offer better mirror head control, there is the disadvantage of more time, care and effort in making the different wire connections and adjusting them. And, there is also a difference and disadvantage in using a multiple wire cable for the control means since a shorter, longer or different cable route can cause a relative lengthening or shortening of one or more of the cable strands and require special attention, adjustment and setting at the mirror head or control means.
What appears to be needed is a new and different remote control rear view mirror assembly where the parts and pieces are less expensive to manufacture and assemble and where the control means and cable or other connection are more simplified and easier to use.
By having the mirror housing and mirror head parts made of molded plastic, rather than being die cast, there will be an appreciable savings in material cost. And, if the various members of the mirror head assembly are made so that they can be snap-fitted and retained together, there will be a still further advantage in eliminating the time and expense of separate machining operations as when threaded fastener means are required to be used.
In the use of plastic there is also a weight loss advantage that is important as regards over-all vehicle weight loss in fuel economy considerations, that are presently receiving much attention.
A single wire control cable would offer many advantages, beginning with the fact that this type of cable is commonly known and readily available at low cost for many other uses. It would be important, however, that the cable, or other means, be able to obtain a dual function, as by axial and rotational movement, to perform the viewing adjustments required at the mirror head.
And lastly, the control means used with the single wire control should be such as will afford positive and precise control of the mirror head and provide for good incremental control in any and all settings selected.